309

Translator
Posted on December 19, 2013 by David M Willis

309 thoughts on “Translator”

  1. Doctor_Who

    Wow, Ethan looks weird as a kid.

    1. PureFedora

      Kinda cute. I kinda love seeing them as childhood friends.

      1. Yotomoe

        Too bad he grows up to be a giant dick.

        1. timemonkey

          You are what you eat.

        2. asmcint

          YOU WIN THE INTERNET!!!

          *throws all the browser logos at face*

        3. newllend

          Nice one

        4. Arkantos

          All the thumbs up have been granted to you.

        5. Alex Stritar

          Come to think of it, has Ethan even tried dating a guy yet in this universe?

        6. Elva Rodríguez

          No :I

        7. E.R.

          Wouldn’t that fix his problem though?

        8. AK

          I’m really hoping you didn’t mean that to be as homophobic as it sounded. :/ Equating homosexuality and guys giving blowjobs to those guys becoming dicks/jerks is just… no.

        9. Colin

          Pretty sure it was just a play on words. I’ve not observed any correlation between assholitude and sexual orientation.

        10. Memyself

          Yeah, too bad he doesn’t grow up to live his life exactly however Amber demands.

        11. Matdredalia

          It’s not about living how Amber demands. It’s about him living as who he is instead of trying to be something he isn’t.

          Eventually Joyce is going to want to get married, have sex, etc. He is leading her on and screwing her over. And it’s bullshit. And he’s doing it because he can’t handle *himself*.

          He was all over her brother (Well, sister) for a reason.

    2. Plasma Mongoose

      It might be cuse he has an adult head on a child’s body…?

    3. LiaHansen

      He just hasn’t grown into his nose yet!

    4. Em

      I think I remember Amber saying that he got attractive in High School?

    5. Kernanator

      It’s middle school. Everyone looks weird in middle school.

    6. Kathleen

      he’s one of those kids who had to “grow into their nose”

  2. PureFedora

    Moment of truth. Is Sal in fact the one that scarred Amber way back when?

    1. SUGauthor

      Either that or Willis picked an oddly specific time to do a flashback.

    2. Jen Aside

      SPOILER

      it was MR. WALKERTON

      1. Alex Stritar

        “Sal, why did you rob that convenience store?”

        “I learned it from you, dad! I learned it from you!”

        1. Jen Aside

          man, no one ever quotes it accurately

          [/peeve]

        2. Plasma Mongoose

          So it’s a distortion of a quote, a bit like “Beam me up, Scotty” which was also never said in the show.

        3. Jen Aside

          Yeah, but at least “Beam me up, Scotty” kinda stabilized. I NEVER hear “I learned it from you” the same way twice.

    3. TMUnreal

      I think this is more due to the parallel of seeing Danny with Sal and the (3?)DS and remembering her being in the car with her DS and Ethan.

      1. TheAtomicBrainFart

        Yup, it was a 3DS. He was playing Amazi-girl in Mario Kart 7.

    4. chatokun

      Well, didn’t Sal hold up some convenience store or something?

      1. ThatGuy

        This. This is it.

        1. Bill

          Agree with ThatGuy.  Now (hopefully) we find out what went down at The Great Filling Station Holdup.

      2. OctopusGardener

        Two. I went back and checked.

        1. Alex Stritar

          Now the real question is, is this her first time, or second?

        2. John

          My internets are on first. Because you get bonus superhero origin points if the cops are not effective in stopping the villain, and they strike again.

    5. Undrave

      That’s what I’m betting on myself!

  3. KingMabel

    EPIC FLASHBACK!

    1. PureFedora

      Your avatar and comment combo just makes me think of when Joyce bugged Sarah for storytime

    2. Aizat

      Nah, Epic Flashbacks require some sort of war going on the background.

  4. Wonder Wig

    This wont be SUCH a terrible flashback, right? … Right?

    1. Opus the Poet

      Yes, you just keep wishing that…

    2. Ourorboros

      Sure, Blaine is always good news.

      1. Yotomoe

        Father of the year.

        1. Plasma Mongoose

          A prize only won by fathers such as Gendo Ikari.

        2. Mr K

          And Shou Tucker. And Peter Griffin.

        3. Cragalanch

          And the dad from Happy wheels, Anakin Skywalker, Hiroshi Sato, and Hercules. The original mythology version, not the Disney version

        4. Wack'd

          And the dad from Squee!.

        5. James

          And Fire Lord Ozai.

        6. dethtoll

          And Ken Titus.

        7. Alex Stritar

          What about Zues? He had so many chances to enter into the drawing, too.

        8. E.R.

          I’m pretty sure he’s the one giving it out. Well, him and Cronos…

        9. Bill M.

          Don’t forget about Lot from the Bible. Townsfolk want to gangrape my visitors? Offer my daughters instead.

        10. David

          Who cares about father of the year when we have mothers like Belle Gunness to choose from?

    3. Doctor_Who

      You’ll see! They’ll get Twinkies and everything will be fine!

      In the comics, bad guys like Blaine are powerless against Hostess products. Well documented fact.

      1. Opus the Poet

        I like the way you thnk.

      2. Alex Stritar

        Man, glad Hostess products are back on the shelf. Do you remember all the chaos and evil winning that happened when they were off the market? It was like any given moment in a modern superhero comic.

    4. Epic

      If the gas station doesn’t explode then I think it could have gone worse.

      1. hexalm

        If there was an Outsider present, the explosion would be an improvement.

  5. Ourorboros

    Guess she was there when Sal robbed a store.
    +1 theorists.

    1. James

      It was Walky in drag.

      1. Ourorboros

        Sal was set up! That’s why she’s so angry at Walky!

  6. ASD

    inb4 it was Sal

    1. PureFedora

      Too late. Sorry.

    2. timemonkey

      And two people said it before you posted that. XD

      1. friendshipranger

        I never heard this theory and it TERRIFIES ME.

        1. Sir Robin

          I only heard it yesterday, but it seems to be going that way

      2. rowanmikaio

        And that’s not counting everyone who said it before today

        1. Undrave

          I’ve been sayin’ it for monthes.

    3. Xerxes93

      You’re at least a month too late for that. At least.

  7. Jen Aside

    Rose-coloured glasses these are not =p

    1. Plasma Mongoose

      More like blood-coloured glasses in this case.

      1. Yotomoe

        Rage-coloured glasses, you’d say.

        1. Robin

          Wee-oo wee-oo wee-oo wee-oo dun DUN dun dun dun DUN!

    2. Golbez the Awesome

      cyclops vision, perhaps?

  8. Kernanator

    Wait, why is this flashback in red, I thought that blue was this comic’s Official Flashback Color (TM).

    1. PureFedora

      Really bad memories are in red.

    2. Aizat

      Amber is seeing red…what is not shown is her slaughtering everyone in a fit of rage..

    3. Richard Oot

      Amber’s flashbacks now come in the new Redrum Red (c) – enjoy your traumatic memories in bold badass bordeaux!

    4. David Willis

      Red is the color of panic attack flashbacks.

      1. Wack'd

        Red™! The Official Color of the Bloomington Panic Attack Flashbacks®!

        1. The Candyman

          RED has an official monopoly on panic attack flashbacks. It’s a niche market.

      2. wilyjeff

        I’m hoping red skies means multiverse crossover potential with walkyverse vers. 1.0.

      3. MindLink

        That makes a lot of sense! I’ve sort of just felt it til now, as I suffer from anxiety and panic attacks myself, and I get the same uneasy feeling as when I can feel one sneaking on. Funny, I’ve always “seen” my attacks as more blindingly whitish, don’t know why.

  9. Kuviz

    Oh Lord, more red panels. Here we go…

  10. Aizat

    Wow, they have wide eyes when they were kids.

    1. Yotomoe

      Wide-eyed kids.

      1. Undrave

        More eyes to see TRAUMA INDUCING THINGS WITH!

  11. shadowcell

    Amber is the Cyclops of Dumbing of Age. the floating butt will be here soon. mark my words.

    1. Doctor_Who

      I think Blaine, metaphorically, IS the floating butt in this case.

      1. Yotomoe

        As long as it’s not literally.

        1. Shadow12000

          Well he is literally an ass.

        2. Carlos

          Congrats, you’ve just made this comment section’s 1 millionth clever pun! here’s your prize: The internet!!! [cheesy game show music]

    2. Aizat

      Dude, Cyclops is my favorite X-Men…and Amber is my favorite character…so…

      1. Richard Oot

        Should we suppose then that the floating butt is also your favorite butt?

    3. James

      No see people still care for her.

  12. Gottawonder

    If she doesn’t kill herself, there is always catatonia.

    1. Opus the Poet

      But that’s out in the South Pacific ocean, way too far to get to from Indiana.

    2. Ourorboros

      Freaking out or fighting might end in arrest, expulsion, mandatory counseling, etc.
      Right now who is there to help put her back together? Can’t be Ethan, that would make it worse. Dina is still learning interaction. Danny thinks he found Amazi-Girl.
      Which leaves Mike, who isn’t warm and cuddly. He does have a significant part of Amber’s story though.
      Interesting to see if and how she gets it all together.
      Ruth? Also abusive background, perhaps good there.

      1. EEWWW

        Are you shipping Amber and Ruth?

        1. Curacaobill

          We all are

    3. Roborat

      No she is taken already, she is dating Rhoda.

  13. kagato23

    Oh god… is this gonna culminate in her fighting Sal in modern times (who can probably hold her own) thus ending the day with Amber feeling she’s ruined everything forever?

    No way I’ll call it twice in a row, but clearly Willis has decided we are not getting off the Amber’s bad day train just yet.

    1. Deathjavu

      And then Danny makes it worse by being Danny.

      Because Danny.

    2. Jack Finch

      She just went off on Joyce for a whole lot less.

    3. Mr K

      Amber will realize her hate-crush on Sal.

      1. Plasma Mongoose

        Then Joyce will realise the pointlessness of being with Ethan and run to her true love, Sal’s motorcycle.

    4. xKiv

      Willis promised, 1 day ago, on tumblr, some ups and downs for Amber. Also that there will be more downs.

  14. Wolfe

    The thing that is killing me is Amber and Ethan want so badly to be friends again, but Ethan is being a closeted egghead, and Amber has her plethora of issues. This panel kills me because it’s when they were just happy being friends and things were simple :[

    1. timemonkey

      I don’t think things were ever simple for Amber with a dad like that.

      1. Wolfe

        True…but You know I meant between her and Ethan ;p

        1. Yotomoe

          You know what they say. You can pick your friends. And you can pick your nose. But you can’t bang your friend at the prom and make them discover they’re gay.

        2. Wolfe

          glad I came out before prom cause that would have been hella awkward o-o Everytime I think about Ethan and Amber I’m so happy it never got to that point.

        3. Yotomoe

          I didn’t bang anyone after prom. Was I supposed to?

        4. Wolfe

          side quests are always optional

        5. Mr. Random

          Based on actual statistical data that I don’t have the link for but ACTUALLY exist, somewhere. Only about ten percent of high schoolers have sex on Prom night.

        6. Bearfuz

          That many!? I never would have guessed. But I was a late bloomer, and also pretty unaware of such things. And it was the ’70s. In New Hampshire.

    2. Historyman68

      Like, he’s in the closet for being smart?

    3. Ourorboros

      Amber wanted to get over prom and summer before she would have wanted to be friends again. She never had a chance to get there before all this.
      We also see (never read other Willis comics) why Ethan means so much to Amber, why prom night was extra painful, and why she took on the world for him.

  15. LiaHansen

    ojeez. Defending a friend from their parent. That’s no fun.

    1. Doc Harleen

      Yeah, it’s not like Amber’s had to do that for Ethan. Oh wait… 😉

  16. Mr. Random

    Go Extended Flashback!
    Use Origin of Anger!

  17. roberttheloser

    “She says she wants twinkies”, I never thought I’d get this attached to a fictional character not from one of John Green’s novels.

  18. JessWitt

    I’m particularly intrigued to see some backstory for Amber (and Ethan, too). The anticipation’s killing me.

  19. Confuzor

    EEee! Amber’s old hairstyle!

    1. hexalm

      Someone else liked that! I like how he combined the old style of drawing her with making her a kid.

  20. Aizat

    Wow…Blaine seriously doesn’t want kids, does he?

    1. Norj

      To be fair kids don’t want Blaine.

      1. Yotomoe

        To be fair, kids are jerks. Blaines are jerks too.

    2. Wack'd

      Some nights he just sits around watching Amber’s birth on rewind.

      1. David Willis

        looks just like me eating a burrito

        1. Bearfuz

          Thank you for THAT image. And also THAT image!!

        2. Animal

          Not really. You eating a burrito is far messier, and just a little frightening.

    3. Ourorboros

      He’s an abuser, they dump on the people in their lives constantly. They berate and humiliate in public and always work on breaking their family (victims) down.
      Then in private they start hitting.

      So it isn’t wanting kids, it’s that having a kid provided another victim.

  21. Kutharos

    Man, now I want Twinkies.

    1. EEWWW

      Man, now I want a burrito… thanks, Willis

      1. Ourorboros

        24 hour gas station.

    2. Jack Finch

      Incidentally, Wonder Bread and Twinkie were to have been Mitt Romney and Paul Ryan’s Secret Service code names, had they won.

  22. joeyo

    Extended flashback un-go. This is going to make me sad, I know it, especially since Blaine is involved.

    How many comics will this take? I’ll stay away and take it all in at once.

    1. That Damn Rat

      Don’t it has to be taken slowly, like a drip feed. If you take it all at once the feels may be too strong for you.

  23. TrueVCU

    Does anyone else feel old seeing Amber holding what looks like a DSlite while being in middle school?

    1. Doctor_Who

      I had a Gameboy Advance in high school. So YES.

    2. Plasma Mongoose

      Maybe it’s a Game Boy Advance??

    3. Yotomoe

      I had a DS lite in high school so HAH! And I’m talkin’ freshman year.
      And I got it LATE!

      1. Aizat

        Pfftt….I got my PSP this year…and the PS2 when the PS3 came out…and the PS1 when they stopped making games for it and finding the good games is near impossible that you had to download the game of the net and burn it on a disc.

    4. Dewey

      Kinda felt myself withering in quick time Indiana Jones style when I saw that.

      1. TrueVCU

        I had just finished undergrad when I got my DSLite AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHH

    5. brionl

      I bought my first GameBoy(Color) when I was in my 30s.

      Now get off my damn lawn!
      But give me your friend code first.

    6. Yet_One_More_Idiot

      I had a Gameboy (no, not a Colour or an Advance, just an original Gameboy) when I was in secondary school. xD

      So HELL YEAH.

      Then again, my family’s first desktop computer was by Amstrad. And bragged in its model number about being a Colour Personal Computer. 😛

  24. Gil

    Man I forgot how old the DS is. They go back to 2004.

    1. Yotomoe

      Like…a decade ago almost.

      1. Xerxes93

        no! Lies! STOP MAKING ME FEEL OLDDDDDDD.

        1. Valdrax

          If Willis had really wanted to make you feel old, he would have shown the gas prices.

  25. laila

    The thing that really weirds me out about Amber and Blaine is that in this strip Blaine looks quite a bit like my father, while I looked rather like Amber at that age. The difference is that while my father has a short temper he has never been physically abusive and is otherwise nothing like Blaine and I have always had a very close relationship with him, while I… no, I was pretty much exactly like Amber personality-wise too, I just chose to vent by angrily ranting at textareas.

  26. Nym

    I see Blaine, and even before I can read anything, my reaction is just, “Hsssss.” Congratulations, I have been successfully conditioned.

    In other things, Ethan and Amber are adorable when they are tiny. Well, tiny-er. I am going to guess them at about pre-teen and just-teens here? I am sure they are adorable at early-childhood levels of being tiny, too.

    1. Nym

      Oh, wait, looking back at the strip again, that is a gas station. We are totally going to see what happened at Sal’s robbery that Amber was present for, aren’t we? Oh, ack ack ack, suddenly the tension is increased by appr. one billion percent.

      (This is why I usually read this comic during the day, when I am usually awake enough to make connections the first time through.)

    2. Wolfe

      oh gods now i want to see the whole cast as teens/kids. Willis do the thing.

      1. Hoboturtle

        Dumbing of Babies coming to Nick jr

        1. The Candyman

          ENTIRE CAST IS BABIES

  27. caesaria82

    Oh my god, tiny bb Amber and tiny bb Ethan. My feels. All those feels.

  28. Thrair

    Yah, Ambers a broken bird if ever there was one. Blaine and her mother (mostly Blaine) did a number on her. And then there was the fiasco with Ethan.

    It’s going to sound cold, but from my experience, it’s best to leave people like that be to sort themselves out. Be kind to them, yes. But don’t get close to them and try to “fix them”, because that’s just asking to get hurt yourself. Keep your distance, be generally kind, and hope they can get through their own issues, preferably with the help of a solid therapist.

    1. Thrair

      PS, doesn’t seem to be many healthy relationships in DoA atm, eh? Walky and Dorothy works, but time will tell if it Walky matures into it.

      And… I think that’s about it. Any others?

      1. timemonkey

        Roz and Joe seemed fairly happy. Granted they’re not quite a couple, but they’ve banged a few times.

      2. Ourorboros

        Well healthy relationship and growth are different things.
        Joe and Roz have their mutual love of sex.

        But being young is the best time for screwed up relationships. You learn much about yourself and have time to work out the consequences.

        There is little drama in healthy relationships though, other than going through obstacles to get together.

  29. Baker

    I think the take away from this strip is that Danny is like a twinky. Sweet but about as smart.

    1. Yotomoe

      Does that mean he’s going to go away for a while and we think he’s dead but then he’ll be back within the same year?

      1. TaintedSpud

        I doubt it, since people actually LIKE Twinkies and wanted them back.

        1. Wack'd

          God knows why.

    2. Ourorboros

      Squishy, but of little nutritional value to mind flayers.

    3. Jack Finch

      Hey! Where’s the cream filling?!

  30. Astraea

    If it does turn out Sal is what (negatively) inspired Amber to be Amazi-gal (which seems likely), I know Amber’s gonna feel like Danny getting close to Sal is horrible, horrible irony.
    But actually, it makes sense.
    Maybe Amber wanted to be like Sal so she could stop people like Sal, so *of course* Sal, who is more obviously like the hero she inspired, would be mistaken for her.
    Sad thing is Amber’s becoming like those she opposes, her dad *and* Sal. That’s gonna hurt, even if being like Sal isn’t nearly as bad. And it’s too bad this is setting them up to be enemies, because I feel like if the two of them talked, they’d be great friends. They both have explosive parent issues and live outside the law. Seriously, imagine if they teamed up?

    1. Wolfe

      super-sal and amazi-girl

      1. EEWWW

        “Amazi-girl” and “Wonderin’ if you lost a bet”, cause obviously Sal is super implied.

  31. etybolik

    A raptor needs to appear and bite Blaine’s face off. Christ what a shitty person/father.

    1. Thrair

      I’ve met a few people like him. Thankfully very few. But I think you’d be hard-pressed to find a raptor that could tolerate the taste.

    2. Wolfe

      Maybe in future panels Dina will chase him down with a fleet of raptors?? :3

      1. Skellig

        This needs to happen.

        1. Thrair

          Only if someone buys the Raptor a apology/thank you Steak afterward, as compensation for having to taste something so slimy.

          And not a crappy el’cheapo Steak, either. We’re talking prime cut, marinated, and medium-rare seared to perfection….

          Dammit, now I’m hungry.

  32. Salmo

    See, Shortpacked flashbacks be all blue
    And Dumbing of Age flashbacks be all red

    1. Yotomoe

      DOAs are Red
      Shortpackes are Blue
      Amber wishes Blaine was dead.
      And Robin wishes her parents were too.

  33. RSLee

    For the first time, I think that I’m actually relieved to see Blaine. I came here expecting to have to see Amber have a complete meltdown after last night’s strip. But instead, Flashback-Blaine has given us a temporary delay on Amber’s imminent psychotic breakdown.

    1. EEWWW

      (waiting patiently)… “Stay on target… stay on target.”

  34. Gottawonder

    So I posted number five and refreshed and read a couple posts. Come back to read comments and I’m at 33, interesting. Jumpy feed.

    I saw someone posted upstream they just may stay away for awhile and come back and see it all at once. And another answered, the feels would probably kill ya.

    I feel badly for her, she runs smack into Sal and Danny being all happy together over his DS, and she flashes back to Ethan when he was ‘protecting’ her from the world in general. She wants her friend, and she has no one. Makes me cry.

    Yeah, I expect to come back and find Amber sitting on the steps below Danny and Sal, sucking her thumb.

  35. newllend

    Flash back time! Go get her some twinkies bongo! OK so how many cald the long awaited fash back? Also if she suppose be 13 then why does she look like she 8? But I’m not questioning willises drawing skill just draw just saying

    1. John

      Drawing kids is hard. Especially when your adults are proportioned like kids anyway. At least Willis’s don’t look like evil middle-aged gnomes, which is pretty common.

  36. Mr K

    Amber has long hair as a kid. Why did she cut it?

    1. Yotomoe

      Long hair ain’t all it’s cracked up to be. Trust me.

      1. newllend

        Ya I bet you used to have a flowing main that maid you look like Fabio

      2. Jen Aside

        I got asked by a black dude [read: someone who’s never had hair longer than maybe 1″] why I never wore my hair down at work. It’s a fucking mess and gets everywhere, that’s why |=(

      3. Fuzzydaemon

        This. Fine, thick, curly hair breaks. Never looks smooth. Humidity and rain are disastrous. At best my long hair looked like Alice in Dilbert.

      4. Ourorboros

        I liked having long hair. I had a pony tail through my later extended college years.
        Of course, being Chinese, I had straight hair, which helped a lot. Coarse enough to be strong enough to not break.
        Combing in the morning and after showering wasn’t fun, but other than that it was pretty easy to take care of. Used huge amounts of shampoo.
        So opposite experience of Fuzzydaemon.

        Also probably the easiest time I had getting sex. A woman once told me “everybody wants to fuck long hair”.

        1. Yotomoe

          Eh. It’s a prefference. I’m more of a short hair, kind of guy.

        2. Ourorboros

          I agree that individually it is, but as a group things trend one way.
          Traditionally, it is the single women who wear their hair long. They cut their hair or tie it in a bun when married even though it was just as in the way when single.
          Every rock video babe has long hair, as do models. Most women in entertainment too, at least while establishing themselves. This is at a time when we have quality wigs and hair extensions.

        3. saltchocolate

          There is a definite kernel of truth to that.

    2. caesaria82

      Because people cut their hair…? That is not. Like. Weird? That is a thing that happens.

      1. John

        It’s weird to me. Last time I got my hair cut, Reagan was President.

        1. caesaria82

          So it just… grows? Are you Rapunzel?

        2. John

          Nah, it stabilizes at the length where the rate of growth is roughly equal to the rate of breakage. It’s been down about to the bottom of my shoulderblades when it’s down for twenty-plus years now.

    3. Fernando

      Amber used to have long hair in Shortpacked, then got it cut, then let it grow again. Willis is having her be a “former-long-haired-gal” again here just so she can be like her alt-dimension self a little more.

  37. Jesse

    There are not enough fists in the human population for that guy’s face.

    1. Cragalanch

      FAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAACE

  38. NoHeart

    I think I like Blaine more in shortpacked… where he’s dead

    1. newllend

      Ya it was easier for amber to have a conversation with him and he was kind of nicer, but not that mutch

  39. Ryu Nagano

    I wonder if this is one of the places Sal robbed?

    1. Heavensrun

      The place. There was only, to the best of our knowledge, one robbery.

      1. Kernanator

        Sal held up 2 convenience stores.

        http://www.dumbingofage.com/2010/comic/book-1/02-uphill-from-here/news/

  40. Alex Stritar

    Maybe the fact that the flashback is red means that Amber is having an aneurysm. The blood has stained her memories.

    That or Thrax has worked his way into her brain. Either way, she probably doesn’t have too long left before she has to go to the hospital.

  41. madock345

    Ethan was a cute twink, when he was younger.

    This is going bad places. I’m so excited. I feel bad for being so excited. I’m sorry, Amber.

  42. Xerxes93

    this arc is gonna give me a heart attack i s2g

  43. Hippoman

    Ah Blaine. Never change. By which I mean he’s an awful person who apparently only gets worse over time.

  44. Mo

    ARGHH
    NEED MORE STORY ARC
    HOW DO I HACKED BUFFER

    1. Aizat

      Get a time machine.

  45. Bilfred

    Frashbark tiem!

  46. ninja_jesus

    It’s happening!

  47. caesaria82

    I am so here for this flashback, though. After having seen it be alluded to for so long I am quite excited to find out what actually happened. I mean, I say excited. Terrified. But excited. EXCITIFIED.

    1. Shanunu

      That still sounds like just regular excited with no terrified at all.

      1. caesaria82

        I know. Those two words do not lend themselves to compunding. It saddens me. Scarecited? Ehhh. I get so upset when I can’t make words mesh lol.

        1. Fernando

          Terrifxcited?

        2. Opus the Poet

          Terrorcited, it’s all in playing with the syllables until they mesh and make sense.

  48. Sammie1053

    Oh, wow. Flashback time… This can’t be good.
    And Blaine has clearly ALWAYS been horrible… good to know some things never change.

  49. Shanunu

    Wow. Everyone was right about Sal. Goodness.

    1. Shanunu

      On a side note, Ethan looks WAY MORE JEWISH when the rest of him is tiny.

      1. caesaria82

        That… is a very weird thing to say. I would. Errr. Reconsider this comment.

  50. Ridureyu

    Effin Blaine.

    Kill the bastard.

  51. Deathjavu

    My god, between this and Shortpacked I don’t even know. Too many flashback feels.

    Apparently Willis didn’t plan the back to back flashbacks? I guess it’s just a coincidence. An evil, evil coincidence.

  52. Claire

    yay do we finally get to see the epic convenience store flashback?

  53. Wack'd

    Dammit, the panel cuts off the back of Ethan’s head so I can’t see if he’s got that flip in his hair!

  54. Arkantos

    Huh. This is probably the least douchey that Blaine’s been since his introduction.

    1. Mr K

      That’s like saying, that’s the smartest Danny’s been. Or that’s the most mature Walky’s been. Or that the sweetest Mike’s been. Or that’s the most social Dina’s been.

      1. Arkantos

        I know, it’s just that I believe every character deserves to have their highest level of human decency highlighted.

    2. Incubus

      A valid observation . . . and a perfect gravitar for it.

  55. Kathleen

    OH SHIT
    that one flashback where she’s huddling in terror? She’s sitting behind a rack of chips. D: D: D:

    ABORT ABORT ABANDON SHIP

  56. Triniking

    And now… The Origin of Amazi-Girl

    i think.

  57. rachel

    SO RED

  58. Mr. Random

    PARALLEL!
    Amber defended Ethan from his parents when they found out he had a trait that they didn’t like.
    Ethan defends Amber from her parent when he figured out she has a trait HE doesn’t like.

    1. saltchocolate

      I noticed this too, last night, but fell asleep before I could comment on it! Ethan and Amber really have *got* to patch it up — they’ve got too much history in their friendship to just toss it all out the window.

  59. KingMabel

    Just realized that Amber is going to be in a middle of a mental breakdown after this flashback….

  60. Fuzzydaemon

    I think she is way over the middle right now.

  61. Jordan

    Heroic Blue Screen of Death

    Error. Error. Please reboot after viewing traumatic memories.

    1. Sam

      Error: There appears to be a problem with your graphics display card. Please restart the system if this is the first time that instead of seeing current events, you see reddish tinged flashbacks. If that does not work, the hardware or software may be damaged and may require a psychologist to repair.

  62. Baker

    Willis has already drawn the strip following the flashback. You knew that, but did you know part of it is already viewable in his deviant art? This is one of the upcoming panels following Amber’s mental breakdown.

    http://www.deviantart.com/art/It-s-Walky-Reunion-Limited-Print-317648501

    1. saltchocolate

      Ha ha. (That really is a devastating print — but thank god it’s not what you say it is . . . )

  63. Archivist

    Amber’s damn dad. Guy always hits way too close to home.

  64. Tacdud2

    Thats a lot of red.

  65. Elliot-Chatham

    I have feeling the Sal that’s going to be committing the robbery isn’t going to be like the tough biker chick we’ve seen, but what ever happened after the robberies is what makes her like that.

    Also, anyone actually realize that Sal will be of similar age to Amber and Ethan at this point? That’s very young for a robbery if I’m guessing Amber and Ethan’s age in this flashback properly.

    1. John

      Sal was 13-ish at the time of the robberies. It’s hard to judge ages in Willis’s style, but 13 seems plausible for Ethan and Amber here, too.

      1. Opus the Poet

        Amber and Walky are a year younger than Sal so 11-12 here depending on how the birthdays work out.

        1. David Willis

          Walky and Sal are twins, dude!

        2. Azhrei Vep

          Man, that was some hellacious labor. Their poor, poor mother…

        3. Jen Aside

          The record for delayed interval births for twins is 95 days…

        4. Cybersnark

          They could’ve been raised on different planets, like the Skywalker twins (IIRC Luke is a year older than Leia, since a Tatooine-year is different from an Alderaan-year).

        5. John

          And, actually, the first time that flashback panel appeared, Amber explicitly said she was 13 when it happened.

          It was like five years ago that Sal was sent away, and the main cast is 18ish now, so, yeah, timing fits.

        6. xKiv

          It’s a little known thing, but that catholic school has a time machine, and uses it to force students to spend 20% extra time in school. So in 5 years, Sal aged an extra year.

        7. David Willis

          Sal, Ethan, and Amber are the same age.

          I have no idea where the “they are younger” thing came from.

        8. xKiv

          I don’t either, but I like taking it and running with it against the wall, and then to the ground.

        9. John

          Judging by the uniform, I’d find the reverse more plausible: That in five years, Sal aged only a year. And then stopped aging entirely.

          *pours out a Barq’s for Avalon*

    2. Jen Aside

      I have a feeling Amber is traumatized because Sal got the last Twinkie

  66. Zigzag

    This is so totally babies

    Literally

  67. CianM1301

    Oh God, it’s a flashback!
    A flashback of pain, and anguish!
    Those are the WORST kinds of flashbacks!

    1. Azhrei Vep

      You, uh … misspelled ‘BEST’ there, buddy.

  68. IndigoAK

    I have to admit that this storyline is hitting pretty close to home.

    I have a step-father much like Amber’s. I was sixteen when it first came to blows and spent 6 days in country lockup and a few years later ended up spending 11 months in a psych ward after I almost killed him when he pushed me a little too far. Thankfully, I don’t have any contact with either of my parents anymore.

    While it’s incredibly difficult to do, sometimes cutting them out of your life entirely is the best option. Also, therapy. Amber needs therapy badly. I don’t know what kinds of options most universities have, but I do know my local one (UAF) has options for students who need therapy.

    1. vlademir1

      Most universities in the US have some variety of university medical coverage for staff and students that is much less than that normally available, which usually includes both psychological and psychiatric care. Schools that have dental programs, medical programs and clinical psychology programs often have a preferred pricing, or other incentives, for getting care through those programs.

  69. Standard Mook

    Young Amber looks like Daria.

    1. chris73

      Thats awesome

  70. Mynameis

    Everyone’s talking about Ethan….Am I the only one that thinks Amber looks super cute? I just wanna give her a big hug!

  71. Thrair

    One question: Why isn’t Amber crying in panel one? She had tears streaming down her face at the end of the last page. Slight time-skip forward so they’ve had time to dry?

    1. Random832

      This is her in the flashback – she’s wearing a different outfit, and the same as in the other flashback panels. Willis has made some weird artistic choices with how the panels are framed in these last couple strips.

      1. John

        I suspect if this were a TV show, the last panel of yesterday’s strip and the first panel of today’s would have been a slow cross-fade with that flashback music playing. Maybe some wavy-image effect.

  72. Random832

    I feel old – they have a DS lite, at that age I had a gameboy color.

    1. Animal

      When I was that age, I had rocks and sticks.

      Of course, the shortage of technology was made up for the fun fact that my Dad kept a case of dynamite in the shed. Amazing how much fun you can have with explosives.

      1. LordHaw

        Same here! No portable game systems when I was 12 or 13. The original gameboy (black and white one) didn’t come out until I was done highschool. The C64 and NES was where it was at in those days.

        1. Animal

          12 or 13? I was 13 in 1974, so…

        2. John

          Thank you for making me feel a little less ancient around all these college kids, Animal. I was born in 1974.

          We didn’t get our first computer until 1977. An Exidy Sorcerer, 4MHz and 48kB of screaming Z-80 power…

        3. Animal

          We got electricity in 1977.

        4. Bill

          And I was born exactly 20 years before you were, John.  Seems to be a fair amount of old-timers following this comic.

        5. Plasma Mongoose

          I’m also about Animal’s age and the first computer I owned was a computer-watch (The UC-2000) back in 1986, it had an amazing 2Kb of storage memory which is enough to store slightly over 7 tweets worth of text.

        6. chris73

          Born in 73 and I felt incredibly lucky when we got an atari 2600

        7. Roborat

          Born in ’61. First people in the province (and maybe the country) to have a pong game. We were really popular for a while, and ruined two tvs with burn in.

  73. hof1991

    PTSD like symptoms are very common in abused children. Comes with being hyper vigilant trying to avoid danger and failing. So, yes, therapy. It does not need to include a single traumatic event, but in the nature of both situations, it often does.

    Also, Ethan is being a good and brave friend here. Most kids would stay miles away from Blaine. Naomi’s no prize, but Ethan could be riding the bus with the other kids and chose this.

  74. Rthered

    So Blaine will order Amber to steal the twinkie, Sal sees it and stops it, gets accused instead of Amber.

    1. Random832

      That’d be a clever twist, but shoplifting and robbery are not the same thing, and I’m having trouble figuring out how that leads to Amazi-girl.

      1. Rthered

        Impressed by Sal and driven by guilt Amber becomes Amazigirl.

  75. turbanous

    Is Amber’s clothing change in first panel symbolic of her mental state returning to red-washed flashback Amber?

  76. arglebargle

    Dumbing of Age and kids? Oh boy this can only go well.

  77. turbanous

    I bet we will find out that Marcie was the mastermind or the person holding up the store and that Sal was there to voice Marcie’s demands.
    If it turns out that Sal was something of an unwilling participant it could explain some of her distrust of the police.

  78. Nena

    I had a dad like that. I know how it can warp everything in your life when you are young and just off to college.

  79. Jarawara

    Aha! I see where this is leading.

    Sal never robbed that convenience store. Amber’s father did. Sal tried to stop him, disarmed him, but then was blamed for the robbery as the police burst in, while father browbeat Amber into keeping quiet about it.

    So Amber knows that her silence is the reason Sal got punished, and that’s why she was reacting the way she did upon seeing her again.

    1. Zigzag

      That’s actually what I thought, too. Or at least something along those lines.

  80. CC

    Damn. I just realized seeing a past bad guy in a diffused (albeit hurtful for reasons Sal can’t possibly understand or be held responsible for) setting means Amber will have to confront the fact bad guys are people too – people who make stupid decisions, but people nonetheless. Making them a convenient outlet for your anger is how bad cops are made, after all.

  81. Mr K

    When the flashback ends, Amber will be on pile of bodies. She’ll be sent to prison, and Malaya will be her roommate.

  82. Charles RB

    Between this and Shortpacked, there’s no respite – we’re all going to Hell together.

  83. Regalli

    Congratulations, Blaine. You officially win another punch in the face. By Optimus Prime. FUCK YOU, ASSHOLE.

  84. OmegaDez

    They already had DS Lites when they were kids?
    I feel so old now.

    1. Sir Robin

      How many years ago is this flashback? Shouldn’t they be the old regular DS maybe?

      1. LiaHansen

        DS lite was launched in 2006. If they’re 19 now (I’m not actually sure how old they are, but let’s say 19), that would make them 12 in the flashback. Which, without checking if any of that’s true, seems about right to me. It is weird, though. In a couple years, I’m going to be surpassing in age characters that have been older than me since before I was born. o_O

    2. Mo

      THIS. I came back to post this. My band road trips were lucky to be accompanied by the original green-screen Game Boy. We also had a cassette boombox and read aloud from Dave Barry columns. I AM OLD

  85. What was the question again?

    I WANT TO GET OUT!

  86. Jack Finch

    What I appreciate most right now are the drawings on Willis’ tumblrs showing Sal and Amber as they appear in strips weeks from now. Neither appear to be scarred, to be missing an eye, or to have their jaws wired shut. No major bones appear broken, nor are there signs of bruising or swelling on either of their faces.

  87. Zigzag

    Amazi-Girl Begins has started! Following this will be The Campus Crusader, and the trilogy will end with The Campus Crusader Rises.

    1. Heavensrun

      And campus security will chase her. Because she can take it. Because she’s the hero this school deserves, but not the one it needs right now.

  88. Avehand1

    So im guess thing David Willis does these things daily?
    Sweet.

  89. ADHadh

    I’m having a flashback myself.
    Flashback of seeing what would episode 6 of Attack on Titan be about.
    Dropped that immediately, but I still sometimes wake up shuddering.

  90. Nebulious

    You’re breaking my heart, Willis!

  91. chris73

    Hopefully Ethan can get back to that part of himself (standing up for Amber) and quit being the douche he is at the moment

  92. man in black

    Great page

    1. LiaHansen

      WHAT?! How??

  93. lividjellyfish

    Damn you willis. Damn you to hell.

  94. Kama621

    Nice use of red for the flashback, though I can’t help but hear this little tune while I’m reading.

  95. Roborat

    Is that the same DS that she has now? And why isn’t Ethan wearing a seat belt?

    1. Darkflame

      Its a DS lite, you can tell by the square pattern on it.

    2. taekwondogirl

      Because they’re parked at a gas station. I’m assuming he took it off as soon as he could.

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